Huntington Park

Community Profile

Popular Shops Pacific Boulevard has long been synonymous with shopping in the city since the 1920s. From the '20s to the '50s, it was considered the premier shopping place in the southeast Los Angeles County area. Then "white flight" hit the city, which in turn affected the string of shops lining Pacific, from Florence to Gage avenues. The vacancy rate in the 1960s and '70s reached a high of 45%. The City Council then began drastic measures to halt the strip's downward slide. Primarily, the boulevard--also called the central business district--was included in a redevelopment area in the late 1970s. Now there's a waiting list to rent space, and about 50% of the businesses are owned by Latinos. In 1985, taxes generated on the boulevard totaled almost $100 million, and this year tax revenue is expected to reach $120 million. "We plan on dominating the region," said James Funk, redevelopment director.

Pacific Boulevard has long been synonymous with shopping in the city since the 1920s. From the '20s to the '50s, it was considered the premier shopping place in the southeast Los Angeles County area. Then "white flight" hit the city, which in turn affected the string of shops lining Pacific, from Florence to Gage avenues. The vacancy rate in the 1960s and '70s reached a high of 45%. The City Council then began drastic measures to halt the strip's downward slide. Primarily, the boulevard--also called the central business district--was included in a redevelopment area in the late 1970s. Now there's a waiting list to rent space, and about 50% of the businesses are owned by Latinos. In 1985, taxes generated on the boulevard totaled almost $100 million, and this year tax revenue is expected to reach $120 million. "We plan on dominating the region," said James Funk, redevelopment director.